Curiosity killed the Catowl
by PhoenixMageFire
Summary: Hakoda had been fighting the Fire Nation for most of his life. He couldn't just put his trust in the Prince.


Disclaiming Banner: There is no war in Ba Sing Se. There is no claim of my owning ATLA.

Curiosity killed the Cat-owl

Hakoda couldn't sleep on the long trip to the Western Air Temple. He didn't trust Chit Sang. He didn't trust the Prince. No matter how Sokka asserted the boy came to their side, it would be idiotic to let two fire-benders, both of whom had been imprisoned at the Boiling Rock, alone to their own devices. There was just enough space on this monstrous war balloon for any fighting between his and them to be very messy. Suki was on their side, a blooded warrior, but three on two were close odds for a real battle.

His son was in the control room, piloting them towards their allies. _They_ were supposed to be in the boiler-room, keeping an eye on the fires that were keeping everyone in the air. Hakoda was determined to keep an eye on the fire-benders. Just one more turn down the corridor and he would be in surveillance range

"...a pardon for you and your brother. If we survive this war, it would be the least I can do for you."

"Thank you, Highness." The giant bender was turned just enough that Hakoda could see the effort on his face from tightening a wheel on a steam-line.

"Thank me when it happens." The second speaker was turning coals over in the furnace with his bare hands. It was good to know his level of skill in the long run. It would be impossible for most fire-benders to keep them burning white hot without his skin even reddening. For a time there was nothing but the teeth-clenching roar of fire and the shriek of metal on metal. The prince didn't seem to be a talker, and Chit Sang didn't seem to be familiar enough with war machines to split his attention. Scorching air billowed out of the room and over the newly freed chief; it made him more weary than ever for home. The monotony was finally broken by neither Fire National, but by Suki.

She made no sound as she passed, a quirk of the lips and an arched eyebrow were the only signs she made of having seen him in the shadow of a bulkhead. His son's (girl)friend walked into the overheated boiler-room and quizzed its occupants about maximum speed and fuel consumption. The stilted questions were met with a stiff reply. It was obvious the prince was uncomfortable around her and that she didn't really trust him either.

_'Smart girl.'_ By the time she left to go back up top, Chit Sang had gathered the impetus to speak a little more.

"Do you think she'd let me interview her?" Some silence followed that statement, in which Hakoda was able to catch a look he never would have expected to find on a Fire National. A properly amused grin, no malice or arrogance to be found on the younger's face.

"Do you reporters ever think of anything but your next story?" The giant shrugged, unconcerned. "Your newspaper is still illegal."

"And Kyoshi Island is famous for it's closed borders. Besides, it'll take forever to get everything set back up again, I'll need a couple of newspaper headlines written up in advance."

"I don't envy you that. The established court endorsed press will do just about anything to stay ahead of you. They'll probably run a flock of articles highlighting your prison sentence."

"They can print what they want." An impressive snort came from the giant. "I'll be the one talking to the Avatar and the Firelord."

If there was a retort from the prince, Hakoda didn't hear. The heat was more than getting to him. Too little food and too much excitement made the grotesque boiler-room more than he could stand for long.

"You mean it's not going to be you? The reports I heard always said General Iroh really enjoyed his retirement."

"He's the rightful Firelord, history won't give him much of a choice. And he's a true fire-bending Master, he'll be better suited to the Dragon's Throne."

"I'm not so sure, your Highness. My brother was assistant to a court scribe; he went to jail to get me the story of your banishment. I went to jail trying to let the people know."

"In that case I don't know if you were anymore successful than I was."

"I think I was probably just luckier, and you were braver. The Firelord didn't mark me for speaking out against murder." Just on the edge of perception, he could feel the prince's hackles rise.

"You seem to think a lot."

"My job, Highness." The tribesman wanted to stay, but his vision was graying around the edges. Remaining couldn't yield more than his health was worth. It was time for a withdrawal.

Hakoda stopped just outside the control room for a breath of fresh air. The breeze was cool and sharp, carrying the flavor of the ocean below. Getting away from that unnatural heat felt Spirits blessed. Turning over what he had observed down below in his mind, the tribesman began probing what was not said between the other two.

The subtext was vast and unsettling. Public information was strictly controlled by the government, and he already knew history was rewritten at its dictate. The unorthodox succession of Ozai following Azulon was still under debate by some citizens. And neither persons with the most to gain by its debunking _claimed_ to want the benefit.

A careless bout of laughter took him from his musings. Sokka, red faced and spluttering, accepted a kiss from Suki before they both dissolved into fresh mirth. Watching from afar, the chief calculated the pairs' age, his personal wealth, and how much the Kyoshi Warrior's family was likely to ask for a bride-price. Well, he thought with a grin, he'd have to ask Sokka how likely they were to marry before his plans or his pride got that far into the future.

The wrathful way a man (a boy) was treated by his own family suddenly jarred with that vision of what had always been Hakoda's world. It seemed the bottom dropped out of that world, even as he watched his son flirt happily.

Chit Sang's words echoed in a princess's smile. _"...the Firelord didn't mark me for speaking out against murder..."_

Hakoda vomited what little was in his stomach over the side-railing.


End file.
